WR977

WR977 came early in the first production batch of Shackleton MR.3s and was delivered on 14 September 1957. It joined 220 Squadron in 1958, and was with 201 Squadron by October that year.

It flew with 206 Squadron from November 1959 to January 1962, and returned to 201 Squadron from April 1963. Avro upgraded it to Phase 3 standard at Langar, adding Viper jets in the outboard nacelles to help take-off in hot climates.

In 1967 it was one of two Shackletons carrying press that found Francis Chichester at the end of his solo voyage round the world. From July 1968 to August 1970 it moved between 203, 206 and 42 Squadrons. Its last unit was 203 Squadron, until November 1971.

The museum counts it as the longest-serving MR.3 in the RAF. Retired to Thorney Island, it then went to Finningley as instructional airframe 8186M. When the Finningley collection was broken up before the 1977 Silver Jubilee review, Stuart Stephenson and Charles Waterfall saved it from scrap.

It was dismantled and carried to Newark on seven lorries, arriving by 1 May 1977. Reassembly took four weeks. A repaint began in 2016, the undercarriage legs needed major repairs, and the museum took ownership in December 2021.

Outdoors in 42 Squadron markings as 'B'. Volunteers sometimes open the interior for a small donation, but restoration on the cockpit and engine nacelles can close it.